MANILA — San Miguel Corp will need to give airport workers pay hikes and better terms, once it takes over the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the government said on Wednesday.

The Department of Transportation said it has mandated the San Miguel Corp-led consortium that won the bid to rehabilitate and operate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to offer employment packages with “improved terms” to the airport’s workers.

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“Kinakailangan na itong ating operator ay mag-alok ng trabaho sa ating mga kasalukuyang manggagawa sa NAIA,” DOTr Undersecretary Timothy Batan said in an interview on state television PTV.

“Improved terms, may dagdag na suweldo. Ating inaasahan na ito ay magiging acceptable sa mga empleyado sa NAIA,” he said.

Batan claimed that several workers' groups in NAIA are being consulted about the changes in the airport after the San Miguel-led consortium won the bidding for the rehabilitation project worth around P170 billion.

“Mayroong naging proseso ang ating mga kasamahan sa MIAA. Nagkaroon ng mga konsultasyon sa iba’t ibang grupo ng mga empleyado sa NAIA,” he said.

Last week, the Samahang Manggagawa sa Paliparan ng Pilipinas (SMPP) said they were never consulted and they fear losing their jobs.

“Ang pangamba ng buong officership, pag lumipat, kung may malilipat lang, ang ibigay sa kanila probationary 6 months. Hindi namin alam after 6 months ano mangyayari sa kanila,” said Gilberto Bagtas, vice president of SMPP.

“Hindi po kami binigyan ng pagkakataon malaman mga dokumento. Wala po consultation, zero, zero wala,” Bagtas asserted.

The group earlier said that they are looking to discuss the issue with some lawmakers, and are also mulling the filing of a case to question the privatization of the country's main gateway. 

Of the 3,000 to 4,000 employees of MIAA, 700 are members of the union.

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